Western disturbance chills North India
New Delhi: A widespread spell of unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and snowfall swept across large parts of India on Friday, dragging temperatures well below normal, improving air quality in some regions, and raising concerns over crop damage, even as forecasters signalled that conditions over North India may gradually stabilise in the coming days.
Rain lashed several northern states on Friday, including Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, while thunderstorms and gusty winds swept across Uttar Pradesh. The weather system, which began influencing the region from Thursday evening, led to a marked fall in temperatures, in some cases pushing daytime readings 10 to 12 degrees Celsius below seasonal averages.
In Delhi, the impact was particularly striking. The national capital recorded its coldest March day in six years, with the maximum temperature at Safdarjung settling at 21.7 degrees Celsius, 9.6 degrees below normal. The city also experienced a sharp improvement in air quality, with the Air Quality Index dropping to 93, placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category for the first time in around five months. Rainfall of about 7 mm was recorded during the day across various stations, contributing to what has become the wettest March in three years so far.
Neighbouring regions of Punjab and Haryana also witnessed persistent rainfall for a second consecutive day, dragging temperatures down significantly. Chandigarh recorded a maximum of 18.8 degrees Celsius, about 10 degrees below normal. Similar trends were observed across cities such as Ambala, Hisar, Ludhiana and Patiala, where maximum temperatures remained well below seasonal norms.
Uttar Pradesh experienced widespread thunderstorm activity accompanied by lightning and strong winds, offering respite from earlier heat but bringing hazardous conditions. According to Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, “the impact of the weather system will continue across eastern Uttar Pradesh, central regions and Bundelkhand on Saturday, with strong winds and thunderstorms expected in most parts of the state.” The Met department issued an orange alert for hailstorms in about 27 districts, including Meerut, Agra, Mathura and Kanpur Dehat. Wind speeds during thunderstorms are expected to range between 40 and 60 kilometres per hour. Rainfall was recorded in most districts, with Hamirpur receiving the highest at 40 mm, followed by Bareilly, Shahjahanpur and Aligarh with 24 mm each.
Lucknow recorded 18 mm of rainfall, with its maximum temperature plunging to 23.5 degrees Celsius, nearly 10 degrees below normal. Western districts such as Muzaffarnagar and Meerut saw even sharper drops, with daytime temperatures dipping to 17.8 degrees and 18.4 degrees Celsius respectively. Overall, temperatures across the state are expected to fall by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius over a two-day period.
While the plains dealt with rain and storms, hill states experienced intense winter-like conditions. In Uttarakhand, heavy snowfall blanketed high-altitude pilgrimage sites, including Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Kedarnath recorded up to four feet of snow by Friday evening, while Badrinath received around two feet.
The snowfall, described as among the heaviest in March in recent years, led to a sharp drop in temperatures across the state. Dehradun recorded a maximum of 17.4 degrees Celsius, about 11 degrees below normal. Authorities issued an orange alert for several districts, warning of heavy rain, snowfall, hailstorms and gusty winds of up to 50 kilometres per hour.
Similar conditions prevailed in Himachal Pradesh, where higher reaches such as Manali, Rohtang Pass and the Atal Tunnel were buried under 90 to 120 cm of snow. Continuous snowfall in Lahaul and Spiti cut off several areas, while landslides blocked key routes including the Bhuntar Manikaran road, leaving vehicles stranded. Manali recorded the highest rainfall in the state at 87 mm, with several other towns also receiving heavy precipitation.
Meteorological officials have warned of continued wet conditions in Himachal Pradesh until March 25, with thunderstorms and gusty winds expected in some districts early next week.
Further east, parts of West Bengal are bracing for thunderstorms, lightning and hailstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 60 to 70 kilometres per hour. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in northern districts such as Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, while southern districts including Purulia and Bankura may experience thundersqualls.
In the Northeast, Arunachal Pradesh is expected to see multiple days of thunderstorm activity with lightning and heavy rain across several districts through early next week, indicating the widespread influence of unstable atmospheric conditions.
The weather system has also affected central and western India. Rajasthan recorded light to moderate rainfall, with Nokha in Bikaner receiving 25 mm over 24 hours. Temperatures across the state remained 2 to 8 degrees below normal, although conditions are expected to turn largely dry over the next four to five days.
At the national level, the impact of unseasonal rain and hailstorms has raised concerns for agriculture. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that standing rabi crops, including wheat, have been affected in several states. “Not only did it rain, but many areas also experienced hailstorms, resulting in damage to the crops,” he said, adding that officials have been directed to coordinate with state governments to assess losses and ensure proper processing of insurance claims.
The India Meteorological Department has also warned of two additional western disturbances in the coming days, prompting advisories for farmers and authorities to remain alert.
Despite the widespread activity, forecasts suggest that rainfall over North India will begin to ease gradually. While isolated weather events may persist in hill regions, the plains are expected to see a reduction in precipitation. However, dense-to-moderate fog is likely to continue in parts of Punjab and adjoining areas, potentially affecting visibility during early morning and late night hours. Meteorologists say temperatures will follow a mixed trend, with minimum temperatures remaining relatively low in several cities, bringing a chill to mornings and nights, while increasing cloud cover across the northwestern plains may influence daytime conditions.
As the current system weakens, a transition phase is expected, marked by fluctuating temperatures, lingering cloudiness and patchy fog, keeping weather conditions unsettled even as the intensity of rainfall declines.
